Conveying apparatus



Aug. 16, 1932.

J, T. cowLEY ET AL 1,872,620

CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed May l, 1930 10 Sheets-Sheet l AUM/vtm- Aug.16, 1932' J. T. COWLEY ET AL CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed May l, 1930 10Sheets-Sheet 2 S R s m Mm Il 11 w. H n GX" -N w sv o E NQ Q Q 9 llxll.nsf! HHH. N" L i lLLLllJ IIMMlwwlllllL Q Q1 a S nuHHwwwwH 5 Q NQ Q I Q2m Q $2 Si 11H. u Av oo l1 o Mh! W E IIIIHI m Il 1 'lahm/1 .BY

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CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed May 1. 1950 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 I N vE/vro/esWir/visa A M YQICTMQIClMQM Aug 35, i932 J. T. cowLEY ET AL 'zz@CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed May l. 1930 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 .ZA/VEN roR m".llv

Aug. 16, 1932. J. T. cowLEY ET AL 1,872,620

CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed May l, 1950 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 pil E gg s:

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CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed May l. 1930 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 Allg. 16, 1932.n 1 T COWLEY ET AL 1,872,620

CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed May 1, 1930 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 -JKWM Hime/vans.

Aug- 16, 1932.` J. T. cowLEY ET AL 1,872,620

CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed May 1, 1930 10 sheets-Sheet 8n--n-nllllllllllllll 4 I 4 f 5 f.

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- CONVEYING APPARATUS Patented Aug. 16, 1932 PATENT-f OFFICE JAMES T.ycowLEY, on

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO THE LAMSON K, A CORPORATION 0FMASSACHUSETTS YOR NORTHSCITUATE, MASSACHUSETTS, AND LAvouT c. ALLEN, or

COMPANY, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW

coNvEYrNe APPARATUS Original application led October 17', 1927, SerialNo.

' 1930. Serial This invention relates to a new and improved conveyor andis particularly directed to an apparatus for elevating and loweringautomatically packages, and is a division of our cc-pending applicationfor conveyingapparatus iiled Got. 17, 1927, Serial No. 226,659.

AThe main object of our invention is to provide a vertical conveyorwhich will automatically pick up packages from other conveyors andreturn and discharge them to a storage conveyor. Y Y Y l Another objectis to provide a vertical conveyor which is adapted to pick up packagesfrom conveyors onseveral floors of a building, the apparatus being soconstructed that the cars of the verticalconveyor will pick up a packagetrom a conveyor on a floor if the car is unloaded, but which will passsuch floor if. it is loaded. 1 l

Other objects and advantages relate to the Size, shape and arrangementof parts all as will more fully appear from vthe following descriptiontaken in'connectionwith the accompanying drawings in which .j

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of my invention showing several floorsof a building equipped with a conveying system from which and to which avertical conveyor receives and delivers packages.

Figure 2 is a'horizontal'section through the loading side of ourvertical conveyor showing one of the automatic movable loading stationsin top plan.y An automatic `selective elevator car is shown in dottedlines as it would appear in passing up through the station, a'portion ofthe ixed gravity eed beingbroken away te better disclose the automaticlock trip.

Figure 3 is a detail vertical section taken in the plane of line 3-3,Figure 2. The tull lines show the automatic movable loading station witha package fed on to the fixed gravity feed in readiness to beautomatically released vand ted over the lowered platforms into thevpath of an incoming automatic selective vertical conveyor car, thelowered platforms being shown in dotted lines.

Figure lis a side elevation-of a portion of one side of a verticalconveyor together with an automatic movable loading station, some line6-6, Figure 226,659.v Divided and this application filed May 1, No.449,028.

portions ofwhich are broken away to better reveal the mechanism thereof.The full lines show the station in its normal empty position while thedotted lines indicate the positions which the different parts assumewhen a package is ted on to the Xed gravity iced, thereby forcing theautomatic lock arm downward to bring ther station closing lever intolocking engagement.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section'v of the lower sprocket wheel of `thevertical conveyor taken in the plane of line 5*-5,'Figure 6, and alsoshowing the iiXed automatic loading Station in top plan. i

I Figure 6 is a detail'vertical 'section of the fixed loading stationtaken inthe plane of 5,k Figure 7 is a detail vertical section of thedriveV oriupper'end of the vertical conveyor takenv in the plane of line7-7, Figure 8,-the

drive gear and one sprocket wheel being parl tially broken away tobetterillustrate the movement of the car together with its load inpassing from one side of the vertical 'cona veyor to the other. A

Figure 8 is a detail verticalcross section of the drive endof thevertical conveyor and of one of the vertical conveyor cars taken in theplane of line 8-8, Figure 7 Y Figure 9 is Va horizontal section takenthrough the unloading' side ofl the vertical conveyor showing the lixedunloading station in top plan.`

Figure 10 is a detail vertical Section taken y v in the plane of line1010, Figure 9.

, Figure 11 is a top plan of one of the automatic selective verticalconveyor cars' showing in dotted lines, the outline of a package incarrying position.

' Figure `12 is a .longitudinal vertical section of a vertical .conveyorcar taken in the plane of line 12-12, Figure 11. i

Figures 13 and 14 are detail vertical sec-- tions taken in the plane oflines 13--13 and 14--14 respectively, of Figure 11, showing theautomatic tripping mechanism.

As illustrated on the diagrammatic view, Figure 1, our vertical conveyoris shown as used in connection withaparticular type of p l distributingconveyors vdisclosed and claimedin our co-pending application abovereferred to, but it will be understood that our vertical conveyor isadapted to be used with any type of conveyor designed to deliverYpackages to the loading stations of the vertical conveyor and alsoadapted to receive packages from such vertical conveyor.

Or, our invention may be used independently of any deliveringconveyorsprovioled only means is provided for delivering packages to theloading stations of the vertical conveyor.

In the diagrammatic view, Figure 1, A, B,

C, D and E represent the first, second, third, fourth and fifth floorsrespectively of a build; ing to be used for the storing of merchandise.Y The particular function which the vertical conveyor performs in theconveying system disclosed in our co-pending application is to receivefrom the storage floors, pilot cars which have been employed to directconveyors of merchandise cars to various storage places on the differentfloors and to return such pilot cars to their starting station.

e conveyors on the different floors are constructed and arranged so thatwhen a pilot car has performed its function, it will be automaticallyconveyed to the loading station of the vertical conveyor on theparticular floor on which it is then located. l

In the particular way in which the main conveying system here shown isarranged, gravityrolls as 1, 2, 3 and 4 are provided to carry thereturning pilot cars to the loading` platforms 5, 6, 7 and 8 of thevertical con` veyor.

There is also provided a receiving' and Storage conveying system 9 toreceive the pilot cars from the unloading station 10 of the verticalconveyor.

The vertical conveyorll consists of a vertical framework 12 divided intotwo vertical conveyor shafts secured, in this instance, to the floor A,Figure 1, and extending upwardly through suitable openings in thesucceeding floors, B, C, D and E. v

n electric motor 1.3, Figure 7 mounted on the framework 12 near theupper end of the vertical conveyor 11 has a drive shaft 14 protrudingfrom each end thereof.

A solenoid brake mechanism 15 of any suitable make is secured to thedrive shaft 14 located at one end'of the motor 13 while the drive shaft14 at the opposite end of the motor is connected to a speed reducinggear mechanism 16 also mounted on frame work 12 by a slidable coupling17.

To the drive shaft 13 of the speed reducing gearing 16 is keyed orotherwise secured a pinion 19, Figure 8, which meshes with and drives agear 20 mounted on one end of the conveyor drive shaft 21, which isjournaled in suitable bearings secured to the top of the conveyorframework.

Two sprocket wheels 22 and 23l are secured to the drive shaft 21 betweenthe bearings thereof and spaced from each other a sufficient distance topermit an elevator car 24, Figure 7, to pass between them as it iscarried along bythe endless chains 25 and 26 to whichrthe elevator car24 is pivoted, as the chains pass about the peripheries of said sprocketwheels 22 and 23 respectively.

As the endless sprocket chains 25 and 26 leave the sprocket wheels 22and 23, they travel down the rear side of the vertical conveyor past theunloading station and about the periphery of sprocket wheels 27 and 27respectively, Figures 5 and 6, mounted upon a horizontal rotating shaft23 journaled in suitable bearings 29 and 30, mounted in ways 31 and 32,secured to the framework at or near the lower end of the verticalconveyor 11.

The sprocket chains 25 and 26 then complete their cycle of travel bypassing up the front side of the vertical conveyor past the loadingstations and thence to the drive sprocket wheels 22 and 23 at the top ofthe conveyor.

The elevator car 24 is composed of two vertical side arms 33 and 34,Figure 12, connected together and held in spaced relation by a squareshaft 35 which has its opposite ends pinned to guide members 36 and 37which are secured to the outer face of the lower ends Vof side arms 33and 34 respectively.

To the outer face of the upper ends of side arms 33 and 34 are bolted orotherwise secured guide blocks 38 and 39.

In guide block 38 is rotatably mounted a pin 40 and asimilar pin 41 isrotatably mounted in guide block 39. Pins 40 and 41 protrude from theouter face of guide blocks 38 and 39 a sncient distance to pass throughthe eyes in the links of sprocket chains 25 and 26 respectively, antserve as one of the link-connecting pins for such chains, therebyconnecting the elevator car to the chains.

The guide blocks 38 and 39 extend outwardly from the outer face of thevertical arms 33 and 34 sufficiently to travel between opposed pairs ofguide rails 43, Figure 2, secured to the framework 12 of the verticalconveyor adjacent the side of the conveyor in which are positioned theloading stations hereinafter to be described.

A similar pair of opposed guide rails 44, Figure 9, are positionedadjacent the side of the conveyor on which is provided the unloadingstation about to be described.

As may best be seen from Figure 7, the upper ends of the guide rails 43are open so that the guide blocks 33 and 39 may leave them to permit thecar 24 to be carried over the sprocket wheel 20 and then downwardlyto'bring the guide blocks 33 and 39 between the guide rails 44 which arealso open at the to l:As may best be seen from Figure 6,l the guiderails 44 are open at the lowerend so that the car may move downwardlyaround. sprocket 27 and then upwardly to bring the guide blocks 38 and39 in between the guide rails 43 which are also open at the bottom.

The guide rails 43 and 44 extend` substantially in the plane of thevertical Atravel vof the sprocket chains 25 and 26 thereby holding theelevator car 24 in its normal upright position and preventing the carfrom swinging or rocking about the supporting or carrying pins and 41.V

,Referring to Figure 14 there is secured to the inner face of thevertical arm 33 of the car 24 a `fixed trip lever 45 which extendstransversely of the arm 33 and is positioned some distance above thefloor supporting shaft 35. The rearward radial arm 46 thereof actuates arock arm to open the movable loading station hereinafter to be describedwhile the front radial arm 47 actuates the trip arm of the automaticfeed on the stationary loading station hereinafter to be described, saidarm 46 having its outer end projected downwardly at right angles to forman elongated bearing face 47 for the purpose of holding the automaticfeed in operating position a suflicient length of time to insure theloading of thecar from the station.

c Referring torFigure 13, a plate 48 issecured to arm 34 and carries onits opposite end, opposed guide bars 49 and 50. In guide bars 49 and 50is slidably mounted a station trip lever 51.

The trip lever 51 is moved to andk from its normal operating position bya rock arm 52 and is connected thereto by a pin 53 secured to trip lever51 and moving in a slotV in the upper end of the rock arm 52. y

The lower end of rock arm 52 is rigidly secured to one end of a tubularshaft 54 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 55 secured to the lowerends of vertical arms33 and 34.

To the other end of tubular shaft 54 is secured a second rockvarm 56which projects forwardly and upwardly therefrom between two radial floorarms 57 and 58 Vand a short distance above the upper faces of such floorarms 57 and 58.

Floor arms 57 and 58 are rigidly mounted in spaced relation andintermediate their ends upon vthe square shaft 35. Inasmuch as the arms57 and y58 constitute the bottom floor of the vertical elevator car 24,it will be apparent that as a flat bottomed article such as a car comesto rest upon the floor arms 57 `vand 58, the rock lever 56 will beforced downwardly aboutv the axis of the supporting shaft 55 therebyrotating the tubular shaft 54 a sufficient amount to cause the rocklever 52 carried thereby to move inwardly against the stop pin 53'on thetrip lever 51 to thereby draw the trip lever 51 inwardly to the positionshown in dotted lines, Figure 13.

A retracting spring 59 has one end secured to the rock arm 52 and hasthe other end secured to the plate 48 so that when the load leaves thecar 24, the spring 59 will cause the rock arm 52 to be moved outwardlyabout the pivot 55 to thereby move the station trip lever 51 to itsnormal position.

A fixed loading station 5 located at or near the lower end of thevertical conveyor 11 receivesthe cars from the gravity conveyor 1. Thefixed loading station 5 is provided with a short section of gravity rollconveyor 60, Figure 6, which is provided at its forward end with a stoproll 61 to arrest the forward movement of the car 142.

The fixed gravity feed consists of opposed side rails 63, Figure 5,secured to the conveyor framey at an angle thereto in any suitablemanner,as by a bracket 64, composed of two angle irons with theiradjacent flanges riveted together, and one of the two remaining flangesfastened to the bottom of the side rails 63, while the other flange issecured to a suitable bracket 65 fastened to the fram 12 of the verticalconveyor. c. i

- Between-the side rails 63 and at the upper outer end thereof are aplurality, in this case shown as five, of suitable gravity rolls 66journaled in spaced relation in the side rails 63. I

The stop roll 61 is journaled in the lower ends of side rails 63.Between the rolls 66 andthe stop roll 61 is an automatic feed roll 67held in its normal position in the hori- Zontal plane of the gravityrolls 66 by two opposed vertical posts 68, the 'feed roll 67 beingjournaled in the upper ends of such posts 68.

Referring to Figure 6, the vertical posts 68 have a portion of theirlower ends cut away to form a sheulder 69 and a tail piece 70, theshould-er 69 resting upon a flange member 71'secured to the bracket 65which limits the downward movement of the posts 68 carrying the feedroll 67.

rllhe Atail pieces pass through slots 72 in the iiange member 71 and actas guide supports for the lower end of the posts 68. To each of thevertical posts 68 and intermediate the ends thereof isfpivoted one endof a crank arm 73 having its other end rigidly mounted on a rock shaft74 journaled at its ends in suitable bearings 75 secured to the bracket65.

Y In a vertical plane at one side of the fixed loading station andbetween one of the rock arms 73 and bearing 75 is a. rock arm 76 rigidlymountedy upon the shaft 7 4 and connectedto afced trip arm 77 by aconnecting rod 78.

The feed trip lever 77 is located above the plane of the loading stationand is pivoted at one end to a horizontal shaft 79 mounted upon theframe 12.

.The lever 77 extends inwardly asufticient distance to bein the path ofmovement of thc radial arm 46 mountedon the car 24.

The station loading platforms and 81, Figure 5, are composed of siderails 82 and 83 respectively secured in spaced relation at their outerends to horizontal cross members secured to the frame work of thevertical conveyor and at an angle thereto, while their inner ends arespaced from each other sufliciently to permit the free passagetherebetween of the elevator ear supporting bar 85.

Between the side rails 83 and journaled thereto are gravity rolls 84positioned in spaced relation between the stop bar 85 on the stationplatform 81 and the inner end of station platform 81. f

Between the side rails 82 of station platform 80 are positioned aplurality, in this case shown as live, of gravity rolls 86 in spacedrelation, one of such rolls 85 being positioned at one end of stationplatform 80 and the other being positioned at the other end of stationplatform 80.

The over-all width of the station platforms 80 and 81 is less than thedistance between the elevator car floor arms 57 and 5S to permit-saidfloor arms to freely Vpass such station platforms 80 and 81. Y

vThe plane of the rolls 84 and 86 is the same and is at an angle to thehorizontal plane of the stop roll 61 and cooperates with said stop rollto form a gravity conveyor from the fixed gravity feed 04 to theelevator car loading position.

The fixed automatic gravity feed 89 positioned ateach of the movableloading stations 6, 7 and 8 on oors B, C and D is constructedsubstantially the same as the fixed loading station having spaced rolls92 and a stop roll 92 but in addition has an automatic locktrip 87,Figures 2, 3 and 4, rigidly mounted on a rock shaft S8 in a horizontalplane below and at right angles Vto said gravity feed station 89.

At the upper end of the lock trip 87 and between two radial upwardcurved arms thereof is journaled a roll held normally in a horizontalplane above the upper face. of the gravity feed station 89 and betweenthe automatic feed roll and the gravity rolls 92, ournaled in parallelspaced relation to gravity feed station 89, by an arm 93 rigidly securedto rock shaft 8S and having a weight 94 adjustably mounted thereon.

The rock shaft 8S is journaled in bearings 95 on opposite sides of thebrackets 96 by which the movable loading station is secured to the frame12 of the vertical elevator.

Bock shaft 88 has a radial arm 97 secured to one end thereof andconnected by a connecting rod 98 to one side of a station closing lever99 located on the opposite side of the elevator frame 12 and held inoperative engagement with a bifurcated crank arm 100 by a pin 101rigidly secured in one end thereof and extending through a verticalelongated slot 102 in station closing lever99. Thevertical elongatedslot 102 terminates at its lower end in a short horizontal rearwardlyextending slot 103, said slot 103 having a 12 beneath the stationclosing lever 99. The A station closing lever 99 is connected by a rod107 to a cranlnarm 107 rigidly mounted on the rock shaft 105.

A radial arm 108 is rigidly mounted on rock shaft and projects inwardlyinto the vertical path of the movable station trip lever 51 carried bythe car 24 and is actuated thereby when said triplever 51 is in itsnormal outward position as the elevator is approaching a movable loadingstation.

rlhe crank arm 100 is rigidly secured'to one end of a rock shaft 109journaled horizontally in bearings 110 secured to opposite sides of theframe 12. 'y

Rigidly secured to the rock shaft 109 vinthe vertical plane of the fixedgravity feed station is a movable station platform 111 composed of twoside rails 112 held in spaced relationl by a cross bar 113 secured tothe lower face of either end thereof, and spacing rods 114 secured inspaced relation to the upper 'i flanges of the side rails 112.

Near the inner ends of the side rails 112 and journaled therein inspaced relation are two gravity rolls 115 while secured to the top ofthe sid-erails 112 and projecting in a vertical plane therefrom is afixed stop bar 116 of greater length than the width'of the object to beloaded and having the ends thereof flanged outwardly and inwardly tolact as centering guides to the object being loaded on the stationplatforms.

At the outer end of the side rails 112 and to the under face thereof aresecured supporting brackets 117 which in turn are rgidly mounted on therack shaft 109.

To the opposite end of the rock shaft 109 to which the crank arm 100 ismounted is rigidly secured a crank arm 11S connected to a second crankarm 119 mountedvon a rock shaft 120 by a connecting rod 121.

The rock shaft 120 is ournaled in suitable bearings 122 secured to theupper face-of the brackets 96 in a horizontal plane below the fixedgravity feed station and a short'distance ahead thereof.

Rigidly secured to the rock shaft 120 in the Vertical plane of andco-acting with` the loading platform station 111 is a second movableloading platform station 123 having side rails 124 held in spacedrelation by cross ilo p so

bars 125 secured to the under face of theen'ds of the side rails 124 andspacing rods 126 secured in spaced relation to the upperianges of siderail's`124. n 'Y To the under face of the outer ends ofthe side rails12.4 are'secured two supporting brackets 127 rigidly secured on thelrock shaft 120. f

Journaled in the side bars 124 in spacedV relation, is a plurality of,inV this case shown -as five, gravity rolls 128 which, when the loadingplatform stations 111 and 123 are lowered to the loading position, arein alinement and cooperate with. the stop roll 91 on they fixed gravityfeed station and the gravity rolls 115 carried by the loading platformstation 111 to form a gravity'conveyor to bring the object to be loadedinto alinement with the vertical movement of the vertical conveyor car24. Y

To the outside face of one of the side rails of the movable platformstation 123 is secured a movable stop pawl 129 pivotedto one side ofits-center on a piny 130 carried by lthe side rail, the longer portion.of the pawl 129 extending y rearwardly and held normallyfparallel withthe side rail by a rest member 131 which is secured to the underfa'ce ofthe side rail, While the shorter portion is turned upward at an` angleto the side rail and projects above the plane of the loading platformstation sufficiently to prevent the rebound of the object being loadedas it is brought to a sudden stop by the fixed stop bar 116.l l

To the rock shaft 120 at one side of the movable station 123 is rigidlysecured a crank arm 132 connected by a connecting rod 133 to a radialarm 134 rigidly secured to the feed roll actuating rock shaft 91 therebyconnecting the automatic feed roll 91 to the station operatingmechanism.

Feed roll 91 is journaled between slidable spaced brackets 91"voperatively connected to spaced crank-arms 91 rigidly secured torock-shaft 91. rllhe disposition of parts is such that when the shaft 91is Vrocked the feed roll 91 will be raised to a plane slightly above thestop roll 92. y

rock arm 135, fulcr'umed near the center thereof to the shaft 105, hasone arm extendinginwardly into thevv vertical path of the fixed triplever 45 on the vertical conveyor car 24, whil-e the other arm isAconnected by a connecting rod 136 to a radial arm 137 rigidly secured tothestation yrock shaft 109.

The movable platform loading stations 111 and 123 are held in their openposition by radial arms 138 rigidly secured to the rock shaft 109 andhaving weights 139adjustably mounted thereon and vnormally resting onfixed stops 140 secured to the framework 12 of the vertical conveyor,while the horizontal bars 141 positioned inside the stationy pivotalmechanism functions in exactly the same way Y as the mechanism justdescribed. y

It will be apparent that the first elevator car 24 passing up throughthefixed loading station 5 after a package 142, Figure '6, has been fedon to the fixed gravity feed thereof, will, as the arm 46 on theelevator car 24 engages the feed trip arm 77 carrying said trip -armupwardly, rotate the rock shaft 74 and liftv the automaticfeed roll 67up to or above the horizontal plane of the stop roll 61, therebycarrying the front endof the package 142 up over the top of the stoproll 61-as shown in dotted lines on Figure 6.

lBy this time, the radial arm 46 on the elevator car 24 will have passedabove the feed trip arm 77, thereby permitting said feed trip arm andthe automatic -feed rollv 67 to return by gravity to their normalvposition.

The package is now free to gravitate on to the fixed station platforms80 and 81 and be brought to an at rest position in the vertical path ofthe elevator car 24 by thefixed stop bar 85 mounted on the stationplatform 81 andv thereby be readyto be picked up by the verticalelevator car 24.

As the package 142 is picked up by the vertical conveyor 24, the bottomof the package willv come in contact with the detent 56 on the elevatorcar and force the movable station closing trip lever 51 inward out ofthe vertical plane of the radial arm 108 therebypermitting the verticalconveyor car to pass up through the movable loading station withoutactuating the loading platforms thereof.

As soon as the first package on the gravity feed stationjust describedis fed on to the xed loading platform 80 any succeeding packageremaining outside the station on the gravity conveyor 1 will immediatelyroll on to the gravity feed station 64 ready to be automatically fed onto the loading platform 80 by the action of each conveyor car upon thefeed roll 67.

. 'The vertical conveyor cars 24 will thus continue to load from thebottom or fixed loading station until all the packagesl at that stationhave been removed. The first vertical conveyor car 24 which passesthrough the fixed loading station without picking up a package will,through the medium of the station closing trip lever 51 coming incontact with the radial arm 108, rock the lever 10.7', Figure 4,downwardly thereby forcing the station closing lever 99 downwardly andcar 24 pastthe rock arm 108, the loc-k trip 87 will have been rockeddownwardly into the Aposition shown in dotted lines in Figure 4, drawingthe station closing lever 99 over until the pin 101 registers with theenlarged portion of the slot 103.

l Vith the parts in this position, the trip lever 51 on the 'car 24 willrock the arm 108 upwardly to cause the station closing lever 99 to movedownwardly carrying with it the 'i arm 100 and this, in turn, will causethe rota- Figure tion of the shaft 109 to move the loading platforms 111and 123 from the open to the closed position as shown in dotted lines,

As the loading platforms 111 and 123 are being closed, the automaticfeed roll 91 will be actuated, thereby lifting the forward end of vthepackage above the stop roll 92 and permitting it to gravitate down theloading platforms 123 and 111 to the stop bar 116 and into a position tobe picked up by the empty vertical conveyor car 24 as it passes throughthe station. As the loading platforms 111 and 123 are moved from theopen to the closed position,

the inward projecting end of the rock arm 135 will be vmoved downwardlyinto the position shownr in dotted lines on Figure 3 so that as the now.loaded vertical conveyor car 24 'mi moves upwardly away from theautomatic movable loading station, the radial arm 46 on said car willengage the inner end of the rock arm 135 and restore itto its normalposition thereby rotating the rock shaft 109, and return the loadingplatforms, 111 and 123 to the open position.

It will be apparent that the vertical con veyor car 24 will always beloaded at the lowest or first loading station at which there is apackage waiting and will carry its load up through the remaining loadingstation or stations without actuating the mechanism of such station.

The vertical conveyor cars 24 together with their loads are carried bythe endless sprocket chains 25 and 26 about the periphery of sprocketwheels 22 and 23 which are so constructed as to permit the cars 24 topass above the sprocket shaft 21 and down the rear of the verticalconveyor shaft to the fixed unloading station 10 which, in thisinstance, is located near the ceiling of the Hoor C.

The iiXed unloading station 10 consists of two fixed gravity platforms143 and 144 arranged .at an angle to the horizontal plane of thevertical conveyor.

The platforms 143 and 144 consist of side rails 145 and 140respectively, held in spaced relation by two horizontal channel bars 147secured to the outer ends of each, said channel bars 147 being mountedon the side frames 12 of vertical conveyor 11.

' The side rails 145 and 146 are spaced apart at their inner ends in thevertical plane of the center line of travel of the conveyor car 24 asufficient distance to permit the free passage of the floor arm andsupporting shaft 35 of the conveyor car 24, while the total width of theplatforms 143 and 144 is less than the distance between the inner facesof the conveyor car floor arms 57 and 58.

Between the side rails 145 of the gravity platform 143 are journaled inspaced relation a plurality, in this case shown as two, of gravity rolls148 which are in the plane of and cooperate with a plurality, in thiscase shown as five, of gravity rolls 149 journaled in spaced relationbetween the side rails 146 of the gravity platform 144. It will beapparent that as the vertical conveyor car 24 passes down through thefixed unloading station, the package carried thereby will be depositedupon the station gravity conveyor platforms 143- and` 144 from which itwill u gravitate on to a gravity conveyor150 so positioned that thegravity rolls 151 of such conveyor' 150 are in the same plane as therolls 142 of the platform conveyor 137.

So far as this invention is concerned, the L disposition of thedelivered load is immaterial, but as an illustration we have here shownon Figure 1, a receiving and storing station 9 comprising a beltconveyor 152 adapted to receive packages by gravity from gravityconveyor150.

The belt conveyor 152 delivers the pack-v ages to a spiral rollerconveyor 153 from which the packages proceed by gravity to a storageroller conveyor 154 on which they are held by a movable stop 155.

ItV will be understood that the number and spacing of theverticalconveyor cars 24 may be varied as desired depending upon thearticles to be conveyed. It will also be understood that the exactarrangement of the various actuatingparts of the mechanism heredisclosed may be changed to a considerable degree 4without departingfrom the spirit of our invention, for although we have shown anddescribed a specific apparatus and form and relation of the variousparts thereof. as an exemplification of an embodiment of our invention,we do not desire to restrict ourselves tothe exact size, shape orrelation of parts, as various changes may be made within the scope ofthe appended claims.

We claim:

1. In av conveying apparatus, elevating mechanism including spacedelevator cars, a

loadingstation adjacent the elevator Jfor supplying larticles toanelevator car, said load ing station including means for stopping anartic'lejat the station, la tiltable conveying platform, means'a'ctuatedby a movable element on an empty elevator car for raising such articlesabove the stopping means and for tilting said conveying platform wherebythe article is conveyed to a point Where it Will be piclred up by saidempty car, and means actuated by an article on a car for moving themovable element to an ineffective position.

2. In a conveying apparatus, elevating mechanism including spacedelevator cars, a loading station adjacent the elevator for supplyingarticles to an elevator car, said loading station including m-eans forstopping an article at the station, a tiltable conveying platform, meansactuated by a movable element on an empty elevator car :tor raising sucharticles above the stopping means and for tilting said conv-eyingplatform vvhereby the article is conveyed to a point Where it Will bepicked up by said empty carandv means actuated by the elevator car afterit has passed the leading station for returning said raising means andsaid conveying platform to normal position, and means actuated by anarticle on a car for moving the movable element to an ineffectiveposition.

3. In a conveying apparatus an elevating mechanism including spacedelevator cars, a

loading station for supplying an article toV an elevator car, means forstopping the article at the loading station, means actuated by a movablemember on an empty elevator car for releasing said article and conveyingit to a point Where it Will be picked up by said empty elevator car, andmeans actuated by an article on such car Jfor moving the movable memberto an ineffective position.

4:. ln a conveying apparatus an elevating mechanism including spacedelevator cars, a loading station for supplying an article to an elevatorear including a movable conveyor roll assembly, means for stopping thearticle at the loading` station, mea-ns actuated by a movable member onan empty elevator car for releasing` said article and moving theconveyor toll assembly to the loading position, and means actuated bythe elevator car for returning said conveyor roll assembly to normalposition after the elevator car has passed the station., and meansactuated by an article on such car for moving the movable member to anineffective position.

5. In a conveying apparatus, an elevating mechanism including` spacedelevator cars, al loading sta-tion for supplying an article to anelevator car, means for holding an article at the loauin g station,normally ineffective means for releasing an article and moving it to theloading position, means actuated by an article on the loading stationfor placing the last ynamed means in an effective po*- sition, and meanson an elevator car for actuating such releasing and moving means.

6. In a conveying apparatus, an elevating mechanism including spacedelevator cars, aloading station for supplying an article to an elevatorcar, means for holding an are ticle at the loading station, normallyineffective means for releasing an article and moving it to the loadingposition, means actuated by an article on the loading station forplacing the last named means in an effective position, means on anVelevator car for actuating such releasing andmoving means, and meansactuated by an article on the elevator carfor making suchlast namedmeansineffective.

7. In a conveying apparatus, an elevating. mechanism including spacedelevator cars, a loading station ior supplyingan article to an elevatorcar, means for kholding an Yarticle at the loading station, normallyineiilective means for releasing the article and moving it to theloading position,ineans including a vertically movable roller actuatedby an article on a loading station for placing the last named means inan eil'ective'position, and means on an elevator .car for actuatingrsuch releasing and moving means.

8. In aconveymg apparatus, elevating f mechanism including spacedelevator cars, a loading station for supplying an articleto an elevatorcar,.means' for holding an article at the loading station, normallyineffective means for releasing the article and moving it to the loadingposition, means kinclud-,ing a vertically movable roller actuated by anarticle on a loading station for placing the last named means in aneil'ective position, means on an elevator car for actuatingsuchreleasing and moving means, vand means aetuated by an article on theelevator car for making such last namedV means'ineti'ective. 9. ln aconveying apparatus, elevating mechanism including. spaced elevatorcars, a loading station for supplying articles to an elevator car,means. including a roller for holding an article at the loading station,means including a vertically movable'roller for releasing the article,normally ineffective conveying means for moving the article to theloading position, a movable member onA an elevator car for actuating thereleasing means and for moving the conveying'means to the operativeposition, and means actuated by an article on a conveyor car for movingthe movable member to an .inellective position.

10.7ln a conveying apparatus, elevating mechanism including spacedelevator cars, a loading station adjacent the elevator.' for su l infrarticles to an elevator car saidloading station including means forstopping an article at the station and a tiltable conveyingplatform,means connectedvwith the platform and actuated by an empty elevator carfor tilting said conveying platform and raising such article above thestopping means whereby the article is conveyed to a point Where it Willbe picked up by said empty car.

11. In a. conveying apparatus, elevating mechanism including spacedelevator cars, a loading station adjacent the elevator for supplyingarticles to an elevator car, said loading station including means forstopping an article at the station and a tiltable conveying platform,means connected With the platform and actuated by an empty elevator carfor tilting said conveying platform and raising such article above thestopping means Whereby the article is conveyed to a point Where it willbe picked up by said empty car, and

means actuated by the elevator' car after it has passed the loadingstation for returning the conveying platform and said raising means tonormal position.

12. In a conveying apparatus, an elevating mechanism including spacedelevator cars, a loading station for supplying an article to an elevatorcar, means for holding an article on the loading station, means actuatedby an empty elevator car for releasing an article on said station andconveying it to a point Where it Will be picked up by said emptyelevator car, such means including a movable element associated With thearticle-releasing and conveying means and normally in an ineffectiveposition and means actuated by an article on said loading station formoving the movable element to an effective position.

13. In a conveying apparatus, an elevating mechanism including spacedelevator cars, a loading station for supplying an article to an elevatorcar including a movable conveyor roll assembly, means for stopping thearticle at the loading station, means connected with the conveyor rollassembly and actuated by an empty elevator car for moving the conveyorroll assembly to the loading position and releasing said article, andmeans actuated by an elevator car for returning said conveyor rollassembly to normal position after the elevator car has passed thestation.

14. In a conveying apparatus, elevating mechanism including spacedelevator cars, a loading station for supplying articles to an elevatorcar, means including a roller for holding an'article at the loadingstation, normally ineffective conveying means for moving the article tothe loading position, means for making such conveying means effective,means actuated by said conveying means including a vertical movableroller for releasing the article, means on an elevator car for actuatingthe means for making the conveying means efective, means for returningthe conveying means to the normal position, and

means on a conveyor car for actuating the last-named means.

In Witness whereof We have hereunto set our hands this 16th and 25th dayof April 1930, respectively.

JAMES T. COWLEY. LAVONT C. ALLEN.

